"Memory could not be read" Error in Explorer

[James Harris]

I have a WinXP system (2-month old Dell Dimension 4600 with Intel P4 @
2.8GHZ and 512MB RAM) that has developed a curious problem in Windows
Explorer. This is a recurring problem that only manifests when I try to open
certain folders that contain only image files. The program halts loading the
files contained in the folder in the display pane, and the following error
message is presented:

The instruction at "0x73dd1351" referenced memory at "0x00000004". The
memory could not be "read". Click on OK to terminate the program.

As I said, this error is replicable, and only happens on some folders
containing images, and the memory references vary from crash to crash, but
do have constants in their starting location as the first is always "0x7..."
and the second is always "0x00...". The source of these image files is my
old Windows 98 system from which I have migrated all my data to the new XP
system. There has never been any problem with any of the image files on the
older system. I think the problem may be related to viewing the files in
Explorer as thumbnail images, but since I cannot get into these folders long
enough to change the view to a text listing, such as List or Details, I
cannot check this theory out.

I have researched the problem on the web and tried some suggestions, as
follows, with no effect on the problem:

1. Ran System Configuration Checker, "sfc /scannow", to verify that all
protected system files are intact and in their original versions. The
diagnostic runs, then disappears, so I assume no problems were found.

2. I ran the Dell Diagnostics for my system to check the memory, including
Data Bus Stress, MATS, March A, B, C, X, Y Tests, and Dataline Test. The
memory checked OK on all tests.

3. I did a system scan with Lavasoft Ad-Aware for spyware/malware and found
some lurking about, but removed everything that was found. There was no
effect on the problem.

I can try some other suggestions I found on the web, but they really seem to
be shooting in the dark, with references to Internet Explorer repair,
reinstall, etc. I have done some searches on the Microsoft Support site, but
have come up with nothing relevant to my specific problem.

I realize this is quite an esoteric thing to throw out there, but if by
chance anyone has run into similar problems with Windows Explorer crashing,
I'd appreciate any advice you may have. I know I have Dell Support to call
on, but these calls to India can be quite strange, and I have installed a
lot of programs and customized this system considerably since it came out of
the box from Dell, so it is quite likely this problem arose from something I
have done.

Thanks,
James Harris

[srd]

When I got that error message on my Dell Dimension 4600, it occurred because
of a conflict between programs. I don't know that my experience generalizes,
but if you recently installed something, try deactivating it. Also, I recall
reading that errors where some memory cannot be read may occur when a
program fails to use the full buffer that Windows affords.

srdiamond

"James Harris" > wrote in message
...
> I have a WinXP system (2-month old Dell Dimension 4600 with Intel P4 @
> 2.8GHZ and 512MB RAM) that has developed a curious problem in Windows
> Explorer. This is a recurring problem that only manifests when I try to
open
> certain folders that contain only image files. The program halts loading
the
> files contained in the folder in the display pane, and the following error
> message is presented:
>
> The instruction at "0x73dd1351" referenced memory at "0x00000004". The
> memory could not be "read". Click on OK to terminate the program.
>
> As I said, this error is replicable, and only happens on some folders
> containing images, and the memory references vary from crash to crash, but
> do have constants in their starting location as the first is always
"0x7..."
> and the second is always "0x00...". The source of these image files is my
> old Windows 98 system from which I have migrated all my data to the new XP
> system. There has never been any problem with any of the image files on
the
> older system. I think the problem may be related to viewing the files in
> Explorer as thumbnail images, but since I cannot get into these folders
long
> enough to change the view to a text listing, such as List or Details, I
> cannot check this theory out.
>
> I have researched the problem on the web and tried some suggestions, as
> follows, with no effect on the problem:
>
> 1. Ran System Configuration Checker, "sfc /scannow", to verify that all
> protected system files are intact and in their original versions. The
> diagnostic runs, then disappears, so I assume no problems were found.
>
> 2. I ran the Dell Diagnostics for my system to check the memory, including
> Data Bus Stress, MATS, March A, B, C, X, Y Tests, and Dataline Test. The
> memory checked OK on all tests.
>
> 3. I did a system scan with Lavasoft Ad-Aware for spyware/malware and
found
> some lurking about, but removed everything that was found. There was no
> effect on the problem.
>
> I can try some other suggestions I found on the web, but they really seem
to
> be shooting in the dark, with references to Internet Explorer repair,
> reinstall, etc. I have done some searches on the Microsoft Support site,
but
> have come up with nothing relevant to my specific problem.
>
> I realize this is quite an esoteric thing to throw out there, but if by
> chance anyone has run into similar problems with Windows Explorer
crashing,
> I'd appreciate any advice you may have. I know I have Dell Support to call
> on, but these calls to India can be quite strange, and I have installed a
> lot of programs and customized this system considerably since it came out
of
> the box from Dell, so it is quite likely this problem arose from something
I
> have done.
>
> Thanks,
> James Harris
>
>

[James Harris]

Thanks for the input. I have actually finally found an odd solution that
works from the Annoyances website forums at
http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp/t1071237898. Renaming the folders
containing the images and/or the parent folders above that in the directory
tree to shorter names results in being able again to access the contents of
the image folders in any Explorer view, Thumbnails or any List view. I have
no idea why this works, but it has allowed me access again to several
folders that were non-accessible because of the problem. What seems to be
happening is that Explorer cannot handle certain longer named file folders
containing image files. The why of the problem I do not know, but am happy
to find any way to regain access to my files.

JH

"srd" > wrote in message
link.net...
>
> When I got that error message on my Dell Dimension 4600, it occurred
because
> of a conflict between programs. I don't know that my experience
generalizes,
> but if you recently installed something, try deactivating it. Also, I
recall
> reading that errors where some memory cannot be read may occur when a
> program fails to use the full buffer that Windows affords.
>
> srdiamond
>
> "James Harris" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I have a WinXP system (2-month old Dell Dimension 4600 with Intel P4 @
> > 2.8GHZ and 512MB RAM) that has developed a curious problem in Windows
> > Explorer. This is a recurring problem that only manifests when I try to
> open
> > certain folders that contain only image files. The program halts loading
> the
> > files contained in the folder in the display pane, and the following
error
> > message is presented:
> >
> > The instruction at "0x73dd1351" referenced memory at "0x00000004". The
> > memory could not be "read". Click on OK to terminate the program.
> >
> > As I said, this error is replicable, and only happens on some folders
> > containing images, and the memory references vary from crash to crash,
but
> > do have constants in their starting location as the first is always
> "0x7..."
> > and the second is always "0x00...". The source of these image files is
my
> > old Windows 98 system from which I have migrated all my data to the new
XP
> > system. There has never been any problem with any of the image files on
> the
> > older system. I think the problem may be related to viewing the files in
> > Explorer as thumbnail images, but since I cannot get into these folders
> long
> > enough to change the view to a text listing, such as List or Details, I
> > cannot check this theory out.
> >
> > I have researched the problem on the web and tried some suggestions, as
> > follows, with no effect on the problem:
> >
> > 1. Ran System Configuration Checker, "sfc /scannow", to verify that all
> > protected system files are intact and in their original versions. The
> > diagnostic runs, then disappears, so I assume no problems were found.
> >
> > 2. I ran the Dell Diagnostics for my system to check the memory,
including
> > Data Bus Stress, MATS, March A, B, C, X, Y Tests, and Dataline Test. The
> > memory checked OK on all tests.
> >
> > 3. I did a system scan with Lavasoft Ad-Aware for spyware/malware and
> found
> > some lurking about, but removed everything that was found. There was no
> > effect on the problem.
> >
> > I can try some other suggestions I found on the web, but they really
seem
> to
> > be shooting in the dark, with references to Internet Explorer repair,
> > reinstall, etc. I have done some searches on the Microsoft Support site,
> but
> > have come up with nothing relevant to my specific problem.
> >
> > I realize this is quite an esoteric thing to throw out there, but if by
> > chance anyone has run into similar problems with Windows Explorer
> crashing,
> > I'd appreciate any advice you may have. I know I have Dell Support to
call
> > on, but these calls to India can be quite strange, and I have installed
a
> > lot of programs and customized this system considerably since it came
out
> of
> > the box from Dell, so it is quite likely this problem arose from
something
> I
> > have done.
> >
> > Thanks,
> > James Harris
> >
> >
>
>

[James Harris]

Just to followup in case anyone following this thread might have a similar
problem. I found a solution on microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone. If the
problem with Explorer happens with folders containing JPEG image files, and
the dialog box before Explorer closes cites ntdll.dll with a fatal
exception, and you have Adobe Photoshop (version 7) installed on your
system, try this: find a JPEG image file somewhere in Explorer other than
the folders which cause it to crash, right-click, choose Properties, then
the "Photoshop Image" tab, then uncheck "Generate Thumbnails". This action
seems to make a global change to all JPEG files and has solved my problem,
so there must be conflict with Photoshop.

"James Harris" > wrote in message
...
> Thanks for the input. I have actually finally found an odd solution that
> works from the Annoyances website forums at
> http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp/t1071237898. Renaming the
folders
> containing the images and/or the parent folders above that in the
directory
> tree to shorter names results in being able again to access the contents
of
> the image folders in any Explorer view, Thumbnails or any List view. I
have
> no idea why this works, but it has allowed me access again to several
> folders that were non-accessible because of the problem. What seems to be
> happening is that Explorer cannot handle certain longer named file folders
> containing image files. The why of the problem I do not know, but am happy
> to find any way to regain access to my files.
>
> JH
>
> "srd" > wrote in message
> link.net...
> >
> > When I got that error message on my Dell Dimension 4600, it occurred
> because
> > of a conflict between programs. I don't know that my experience
> generalizes,
> > but if you recently installed something, try deactivating it. Also, I
> recall
> > reading that errors where some memory cannot be read may occur when a
> > program fails to use the full buffer that Windows affords.
> >
> > srdiamond
> >
> > "James Harris" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > I have a WinXP system (2-month old Dell Dimension 4600 with Intel P4 @
> > > 2.8GHZ and 512MB RAM) that has developed a curious problem in Windows
> > > Explorer. This is a recurring problem that only manifests when I try
to
> > open
> > > certain folders that contain only image files. The program halts
loading
> > the
> > > files contained in the folder in the display pane, and the following
> error
> > > message is presented:
> > >
> > > The instruction at "0x73dd1351" referenced memory at "0x00000004". The
> > > memory could not be "read". Click on OK to terminate the program.
> > >
> > > As I said, this error is replicable, and only happens on some folders
> > > containing images, and the memory references vary from crash to crash,
> but
> > > do have constants in their starting location as the first is always
> > "0x7..."
> > > and the second is always "0x00...". The source of these image files is
> my
> > > old Windows 98 system from which I have migrated all my data to the
new
> XP
> > > system. There has never been any problem with any of the image files
on
> > the
> > > older system. I think the problem may be related to viewing the files
in
> > > Explorer as thumbnail images, but since I cannot get into these
folders
> > long
> > > enough to change the view to a text listing, such as List or Details,
I
> > > cannot check this theory out.
> > >
> > > I have researched the problem on the web and tried some suggestions,
as
> > > follows, with no effect on the problem:
> > >
> > > 1. Ran System Configuration Checker, "sfc /scannow", to verify that
all
> > > protected system files are intact and in their original versions. The
> > > diagnostic runs, then disappears, so I assume no problems were found.
> > >
> > > 2. I ran the Dell Diagnostics for my system to check the memory,
> including
> > > Data Bus Stress, MATS, March A, B, C, X, Y Tests, and Dataline Test.
The
> > > memory checked OK on all tests.
> > >
> > > 3. I did a system scan with Lavasoft Ad-Aware for spyware/malware and
> > found
> > > some lurking about, but removed everything that was found. There was
no
> > > effect on the problem.
> > >
> > > I can try some other suggestions I found on the web, but they really
> seem
> > to
> > > be shooting in the dark, with references to Internet Explorer repair,
> > > reinstall, etc. I have done some searches on the Microsoft Support
site,
> > but
> > > have come up with nothing relevant to my specific problem.
> > >
> > > I realize this is quite an esoteric thing to throw out there, but if
by
> > > chance anyone has run into similar problems with Windows Explorer
> > crashing,
> > > I'd appreciate any advice you may have. I know I have Dell Support to
> call
> > > on, but these calls to India can be quite strange, and I have
installed
> a
> > > lot of programs and customized this system considerably since it came
> out
> > of
> > > the box from Dell, so it is quite likely this problem arose from
> something
> > I
> > > have done.
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > > James Harris
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

[Deirdre]